Cinematograph and the like effect.



L. MCCORMICK.

CINEMATOGRAPH AND THE LIKE EFFECT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1914.

1,21 1,200. Patented Jan. 2,1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

fin-Corvalli- L. McCORMICK.

CINEMATOGRAPH AND THE LIKE EFFECT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I0, I9I4.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 .k m w a O L H W I r LANGDON MOCOBHICK, 01 LONDON,ENGLAND.

OINEMATOGMPH AND THE LIKE EFFECT.

specification of Letter-l Iatent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Application filed April 10, 1814. Serial No. 881,015.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANGDON MCCORMICK, a citizen of the AmericanRepublic, and resident of 22 Tavistock Square, London, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in and Connected withCinematograph and the like Effects, of which the followin is aspecification, such as will enable ot ers skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for lighting screensused with cinematographs and the like.

It is well known that when a series of pictures are shown on the screenit fre- V quently happens that lights,-for example,

the moon, fire, lamps on approaching vehicles, rockets, flashes fromfire arms, and other moving or stationary lights, are represented by thepictures which lack actual light and life.

My invention consists in providing lights behind a screen, the lightsregistering with the representation of lights on the picture exposed onthe screen, the li hts at the back of the screen being visib e throughthe screen from the front thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter setforth in the.

following specification, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation,illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view illustratingdiagrammatically a cinematograph, and means for lighting the lamps.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1,

: represents a. cinematograph apparatus of the usual type which isusually positioned at the back of the theater. Suitably located in frontof the apparatus 1, is a framework 2, and revolubly mounted'in the frontend of the said frame are two rollers 3 and 4, arranged at the top andbottom respectively, and parallel to each other and to the horizontalmembers of the frame 2; An'opaque screen 5, of considerable length iswound upon the upper roller 3, and has its lower end fastened to thelower roller 4, this screen having suitably located openings 1'. A motor6, is arranged to revolve the roller 4, and thereby wind'the opaquescreen from one roller to the other.

Supported in the framework and behind the opaque screen are lamps 2. Infront of and 1n proximity to the opaque screen 5, is a translucentscreen w, on which the pictures are depicted.

The 0 enings r in the opaque screen 5, are arrange and spaced tocorrespond with the representation of light in the pictures produced onthe translucent screenm, the latter being, of the usual materialemployed in connection with moving picture machines.

when the representation of light in the movlng picture is thrown on thetranslucent screen as, means are provided to move the opaque screen 5,to register an opening 1',

with the representation of light in the pic.

ture, to show actual light on the screen 9:. As shown conventionally inFig. 1, this means may comprise a. motor 32, which drives a shaft 33,which operates the cinematograph apparatus. This shaft also drives atape 36, illustrated in Fig. 1. The tape 36 passes from a drum 38,between guide rollers 39, over a contact wheel 40, and is thence woundonv a drum 41, which may be rotated in any suitable manner. The contactwheel 40, is mounted on a shaft which is rotated by the cinematographmechanism, to cause synchronous movement of the tape to the film. Thetape is provided with erforations 42, through which the end 0 a contactfinger 43, passes. Connected with the contact is a wire 44, the otherend of which is connected with a wire 45, charged with electric current.From the shaft 33, leads a wire 46, connected to a terminal of the motor6. Leading from the other terminal of the motor is a wire 47, which isconnected to a wire 48, charged with electric current.

In operation, the lamps thus far described are lighted in any suitablemanner, and the motor 32, is started, which drives the cinematographapparatus 1, and rotates the contact roller 40, causing the film and thetape to move in synchronism. When a picture is thrown on the screen as,requiring the representation of a light, such as an automobile, alocomotive, or the like, a circuit is completed through the opening inthe tape 36, and the contacts. The closing of the current starts themotor 6, which moves the opaque screen 5, to register an opening r, withthe path of travel of the automobile headlights, shown on the screen w.The light from the lamp shines through the opemng or openings r, and tothe moving picture to show actual light on the representation'of lightin the picture appearing on the screen.

A variety of lightsmay be used, for instance to indicate the head lightof a locomotive, lights on a boat, train, sky rockets, fire, etc. Theopenings r, are arranged to suit the picture produced on the screen, thetape and the operating mechanism operating in synchronism to obtain thenecessary 'result.

In Fig. 2 is shown a construction for producing the desired resultwithout the use of the opaque screen. In this figure, the lamp frame isindicated at a, and the lamps at b. In front of the lamps is arranged atranslucent screen 0, corresponding to the screen a, in Fig. 1, thelamps, however, in this instance throwing the light directly on thescreen.

The character d, indicates a film, which passes over a feeding wheel 0,of a cinematograph apparatus. On the shaft of the feeding wheel is acontact drum f, provided on its periphery with a series of spacedcontact surfaces g, and engaging therewith are contacts h, supplied withcurrent by a wire 2', leading to a source of supply such as a battery j.From battery 9', leads a wire is, and from this latter wire short wiresZ lead to the respective lamps b.

Arranged to make contact with the contact surfaces 9, are fingers m, andextending from the fingers are wires a, leading to the lamps b." Passingover the contact drum 7, and under the fingers m, is a tape 0, formedwith perforations p, the tape being unwound from a roll q, and wound ona roll r. As the film moves over the feed roll 6, the tape 0, iscorrespondingly moved, and as the perforations in the tape pass over thecontact roll the fingers m, make contact with the contact surfaces 9,closing the circuit, and lighting the lamps b, to show light on thescreen to correspond with the representation of light in the pictures.The perforations may be made to suit the conditions incident to thepictures shown on the screen.

What I claim is 2-- 1. In combination, cinematograph mechanism, atranslucent screen on which the moving pictures are exhibited, and alamp positioned in rear of the screen to register its light on thescreen at such point where actual light is required to complete thepictorial representation.

2. In combination, cinematograph mechanism, a translucent screen onwhich the moving pictures are exhibited, a plurality of lamps in rear ofthe screen, and means for localizing the light of the lamps to registerlight on the screen where actual light is required to complete thepictorial representation.

3. In combination, a cinematograph mechanism, a translucent screen onwhich the pictures are exhibited, a plurality of lamps in rear of thescreen, and movable means for localizing the light of the lamps to showin the reproduced picture actual light at a p rticular point.

4. In combination, cinematograph mechanism, a translucent screen onwhich pic-.

tures are exhibited, an opaque screen in rear of the translucent screen,Said opaque screen having places through which light may pass, means formoving said opaque screen, lamps in rear of the opaque screen, and meansfor causing the opaque screen to move correspondingly to the pictureexhibited on the translucent screen, whereby to produce actual light inthe picture reproduced.

5. In combination, cinematograph mechanism, a translucent screen onwhich pictures are exhibited, an opaque screen in rear of thetranslucent screen and provided with openings, lamps in rear of theopaque screen, and means for registering the opening in the opaquescreen with the representation of lights in the exhibited picture.

6. In combination, cinematograph mechanism, a screen on which thepictures are exhibited, a vertically movable opaque screen in rear ofthe first mentioned screen and provided with openings, lamps in rear ofthe opaque screen, and means for moving the screen to correspond withthe picture produced by the cinematograph mechanism to produceactuallight in the picture with be representation of the lights in saidpicture.

7 In combination, cinematograph mechanism, a translucent screen on whichthe pictures are exhibited, lamps in rear of said screen, an opaquescreen in rear of the trans lucent screen and provided with placesthrough which light may pass to the translucent screen, and meansoperating with the cinematograph mechanism for moving the opaque screen.

8. In combination, cinematograph mechanism, a translucent screen onwhich the pictures areexhibited, lamps in rear of said screen, an opaquescreen in rear of the translucent screen and provided with placesthrough which light may pass to the translucent screen, a tape havingperforations, a contact surface over which the tape passes, a contactfinger operating the tape and enaging the contact surface through theperforations, and a motor for moving the screen, and wires connected toa source of electric energy and the contact surface, finger and motor,whereby when contact is made the motor will move the opaque screen.

9. In combination, cinematograph mechanism, a translucent screen, lampsin rear of the screen, means for localizing the light from the lamps tothe translucent screen,

means timed by the cinematograph mechanism for moving the lightlocalizing -means, to cause actual light to appear on pictures havingthe reproductions of light appearing on the translucent screen.

10. In combination, cinematograph mechanism, a translucent screen on onesurface of which the moving pictures are exhibited, and a lamp toregister its light on the screen at such point where actual light isrequired 10 to complete the pictorial representation.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

LANGDON MCCORMICK.

Witnesses:

O. J. WORTH, W. E. Rooms.

